Astrolab
Astrolab designs and manufactures planetary surface mobility rovers, including the FLEX logistics platform, FLIP technology demonstrator, and CLV-1 crewed Artemis vehicle. It serves NASA and commercial customers through government contracts and payload delivery services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersHawthorne, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Astrolab does
Astrolab (Venturi Astrolab, Inc.) is a Hawthorne, California-based company founded in 2020 by former SpaceX manager and JPL engineer Jaret Matthews to design and manufacture planetary surface mobility systems. Its product line centers on the FLEX (Flexible Logistics and Exploration) rover platform and its derivatives: FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform), a smaller technology demonstrator scheduled for launch in 2026 aboard Astrobotic's Griffin-1 lander; the flagship FLEX logistics rover, described as the largest and most capable rover ever built for planetary operations with ~2-ton combined rover-and-cargo mass, a wheel-on-limb mobility system, a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, and modular top-deck and underslung payload interfaces; and CLV-1 (Crewed Lunar Vehicle-1), the crewed variant selected by NASA for the Artemis program. Core enabling technologies are co-developed with Venturi Group, including hyper-deformable lunar wheels engineered for the lunar south pole and battery enclosures qualified for -90 to -230°C, supplemented by a JPL-collaborated marsupial deployment concept and HPE Spaceborne Computer edge compute.
The company operates a dual-channel revenue model. The first channel is government procurement, anchored by NASA's $1.9B-ceiling LTVS IDIQ contract (with Axiom Space and Odyssey Space Research as teammates) and a $219M CLV-1 task order awarded in May 2026, plus CLPS missions delivering NASA payloads to the lunar south pole. The second channel is commercial payload delivery, marketed through the open-source FLEX Universal Payload interface with eight contracted Mission 1 customers (Argo Space, Astroport, Avalon Space, Interstellar Lab, LifeShip, Interlune, and others) representing more than $160M in committed payload delivery value. Distribution relies on direct enterprise sales and two launch partnerships, SpaceX Starship and Astrobotic Griffin-1, with Astrolab claiming its payload delivery pricing is approximately ten times more affordable than competitors.
Customer segments are government space agencies (primary), commercial space companies (primary, including startups in resource extraction, biotech, and infrastructure), and lunar resource companies (secondary). The commercial strategy explicitly targets the "last mile" gap between Earth-Moon transit and surface operations, positioning FLEX as foundational infrastructure for sustained human and commercial presence on the Moon and Mars. There is no disclosed standalone revenue, ARR, or completed mission at the time of writing, and all revenue is forward-weighted against FLIP and CLV-1 launch milestones between 2026 and 2028.
Astrolab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Astrolab
- Legal name
- Venturi Astrolab, Inc.
- Website
- https://astrolab.space
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Astrolab designs and manufactures planetary surface mobility rovers, including the FLEX logistics platform, FLIP technology demonstrator, and CLV-1 crewed Artemis vehicle. It serves NASA and commercial customers through government contracts and payload delivery services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Astrolab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Planetary Surface Mobility / Space Robotics
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Space Structures, Mechanisms & Thermal Control (IMABACAF), Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)
Keywords
Where Astrolab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hawthorne
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Astrolab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Space Contracts: Primary revenue stream from NASA contracts including the LTVS program (IDIQ contract up to $1.9 billion potential value, $219 million CLV-1 task order), and Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions. Revenue is generated through development, delivery, and operational services for lunar rovers and payloads.
- Commercial Payload Delivery: Revenue from delivering commercial customer payloads to the lunar surface aboard FLEX and FLIP rovers. Mission 1 contracts with eight enterprise customers valued at more than $160 million. Customers include Argo Space, Astroport, Avalon Space, Interstellar Lab, and LifeShip for science and brand payloads.
- Payload Interface Licensing: Revenue opportunity from open-sourcing the FLEX Universal Payload format, enabling third parties to develop compliant payloads. The company provides payload integration services and consultation for customers developing lunar-compatible cargo.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Payload delivery services via FLEX rover |
| Other | Multi-year contract | LTVS IDIQ contract maximum value |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Astrolab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Astrolab designs, manufactures, and operates a fleet of planetary surface mobility rovers — FLIP, FLEX, and CLV-1 — for lunar and Mars surface logistics. The company delivers commercial payload transport services to the lunar surface using its FLEX Universal Payload open-standard interface, and provides crew-rated terrain vehicles to NASA under the Artemis program and LTVS contract. Its products serve government space agencies, commercial space startups, and lunar resource companies needing reliable surface mobility for cargo, science, and crew operations.
Product overview
Astrolab offers a fleet of planetary surface mobility solutions centered around three rover platforms: FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform), FLEX (Flexible Logistics and Exploration Rover), and CLV-1 (Crewed Lunar Vehicle-1). FLIP serves as a technology demonstration platform and first lunar mission, while FLEX is the flagship large-scale logistics rover designed for sustained lunar operations. CLV-1 is the crewed variant adapted for NASA's Artemis program. The FLEX Universal Payload system provides a modular, open-source interface standard enabling diverse scientific and commercial payloads to be transported and deployed.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FLIP Rover (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform) FLIP is Astrolab's technology demonstration rover and first lunar-surface platform, serving as a pathfinder for the larger FLEX rover. It carries NASA and commercial payloads, validating full-sized batteries, tires, avionics, sensors, and software for the FLEX platform. It is set to travel to the Moon in 2026 via Astrobotic's Griffin-1 lander.
- FLEX Rover (Flexible Logistics and Exploration Rover) FLEX is the largest and most versatile planetary rover ever built, designed to support human operations, robotic science, exploration, logistics, construction, and resource utilization for sustained presence on the Moon and Mars. Features include a modular payload interface, 6DOF robotic arm, wheel-on-limb mobility system, total payload capacity of 2,000 kg, and an underslung payload interface that mobilizes up to 3m³ of payload.
- CLV-1 (Crewed Lunar Vehicle-1) CLV-1 is Astrolab's crewed lunar vehicle designed to transport astronauts and their supplies on the lunar surface for NASA's Artemis program. Adapted from the FLEX architecture, it reaches speeds of up to 10 km/h, has a maximum mass of 950 kg, and supports both crewed and remote operations.
- FLEX Universal Payload Delivery Service FLEX Universal Payload is an open-source payload format standard for cargo transportation and delivery optimized for interplanetary travel using the FLEX Rover system, supporting payloads up to 1,600 kg and 3m³ of volume. Pricing is claimed at approximately one-tenth the cost of competitors, with end-to-end payload integration services from design consultation through lunar deployment.
Quantifiable outcome
- Payload delivery cost approximately 10x more affordable than competitors
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Astrolab
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Astrolab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Astrolab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- InterlunecoreCollaboration to integrate Interlune excavation technology onto the FLEX rover for helium-3 harvesting from lunar regolith. Interlune provides deep expertise in operating in the lunar environment and is developing industrial-scale lunar resource extraction technology. Astrolab provides the mobile platform for Interlune's harvesting system.
- Commercial Space FederationminorAstrolab joined the Commercial Space Federation (CSF) as a new associate member. CSF is the trade association for the commercial space industry.
- AstroboticcoreAstrobotic's Griffin-1 lander will deliver Astrolab's FLIP rover to the lunar south pole as part of NASA's CLPS initiative. This partnership provides secondary launch capability for Astrolab's smaller FLIP platform, with Griffin-1 scheduled to launch via Falcon Heavy.
- NASAflagshipNASA awarded Astrolab a contract under the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services (LTVS) program as one of three teams. The contract has potential maximum value of $1.9 billion for Astrolab, with collective potential of $4.6 billion across all three awardees over 13 years. NASA continues to work closely with Astrolab through Johnson Space Center.
- Axiom SpacecoreTeammate on LTVS contract providing expertise in spacesuit integration, crew displays and controls, tool design, operations, and human systems engineering. Axiom Space contributes EVA and spacesuit experience to ensure CLV-1 can support astronauts conducting science and exploration.
- Odyssey Space ResearchcoreTeammate on LTVS contract providing flight software development, simulation, systems engineering, safety analysis, guidance, navigation and control (GNC), flight dynamics, and operations expertise. Contributes human-rated spacecraft software experience.
- Hewlett Packard EnterprisecorePartnership through HPE's Spaceborne Computer program to extend edge computing capabilities from the International Space Station to lunar missions. HPE's Spaceborne Computer has been integrated into FLIP and FLEX rovers for real-time data processing, enabling compute power required for a future lunar economy.
- Astroport Space TechnologiesminorMOU signed to integrate Astroport's autonomous excavation and regolith processing tools with FLEX rover for lunar site preparation including landing pad creation and roadway construction. Astroport develops patent-pending regolith solidification technologies using 3D printing and autonomous robotics.
- SpaceXflagshipSpaceX will transport Astrolab's FLEX rover to the lunar surface using its Starship launch and landing system for Mission 1 as soon as mid-2026. Agreement includes a two-year launch window. SpaceX provides the critical launch and landing capability that enables Astrolab's lunar operations.
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)coreCollaboration to demonstrate a marsupial rover deployment concept where FLEX transports JPL's Axel rover to extreme terrain. JPL and Astrolab conducted multi-day field testing at Dumont Dunes, California in December 2021, demonstrating FLEX's ability to deploy secondary robots for exploring challenging planetary surfaces.
- Venturi GroupflagshipStrategic partnership with Venturi Group, an electric vehicle pioneer, for development of hyper-deformable lunar wheels, batteries, and battery management systems. Venturi designs bespoke battery enclosures and wheel technology specifically for lunar extreme environments. This is a core technology partnership integral to Astrolab's rover capabilities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Astrolab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Axiom Space: Axiom Space is Astrolab's teammate on the LTVS contract (spacesuits, EVA integration, human systems engineering). Broader commercial space station builder with overlapping Artemis-era customer base.
- SpaceX:
- NASA JPL: JPL built and operates Mars Exploration Rovers, Curiosity, and Perseverance, and collaborated with Astrolab on the Axel marsupial rover demonstration. JPL sets the technological benchmark in planetary surface mobility.
Direct peers
- ispace: ispace is developing lunar landers and rovers (Hakuto-R, Series 2) with commercial and government payload customers, operating as a peer in the commercial lunar services market, primarily outside the US.
- Intuitive Machines: Intuitive Machines builds lunar landers and rovers (Micro-Nova hopper) under NASA CLPS contracts, competing head-to-head with Astrolab for commercial lunar payload customers and government contracts.
- Astrobotic Technology: Astrobotic develops lunar landers (Peregrine, Griffin) and rovers, and is itself an Astrolab launch partner via Griffin-1. Directly comparable as a CLPS-era commercial lunar company.
- Lunar Outpost: Lunar Outpost develops the MAPP rover for lunar exploration and resource prospecting, sharing Astrolab's focus on commercial lunar surface mobility and NASA payload delivery.
Emerging players
- Venturi Space: Venturi Space is Astrolab's flagship technology partner, co-developing hyper-deformable lunar wheels and bespoke battery systems for extreme lunar conditions. Closely tied to Astrolab's core vehicle architecture.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Astrolab social profiles
Digital presenceAstrolab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Astrolab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Astrolab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Astrolab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Astrolab
What does Astrolab do?
Astrolab designs, manufactures, and operates a fleet of planetary surface mobility rovers — FLIP, FLEX, and CLV-1 — for lunar and Mars surface logistics. The company delivers commercial payload transport services to the lunar surface using its FLEX Universal Payload open-standard interface, and provides crew-rated terrain vehicles to NASA under the Artemis program and LTVS contract. Its products serve government space agencies, commercial space startups, and lunar resource companies needing reliable surface mobility for cargo, science, and crew operations.
Is Astrolab a public or private company?
Astrolab is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Astrolab founded?
Astrolab was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Astrolab based?
Astrolab is headquartered in Hawthorne, United States, in the North America region.
How does Astrolab make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Space Contracts are the primary driver. The others are commercial Payload Delivery and payload Interface Licensing.
Who are Astrolab's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Axiom Space, SpaceX and NASA JPL. Direct peers are ispace, Intuitive Machines, Astrobotic Technology and Lunar Outpost. Venturi Space is listed as an emerging player.
Does Astrolab have an API?
No public API is recorded for Astrolab.
What industry is Astrolab in?
Astrolab's product category is Planetary Surface Mobility / Space Robotics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAB, Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial), with a secondary code of IMABACAF, Space Structures, Mechanisms & Thermal Control. Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.